Zack Fair

caption=Zack as he appears in "."series="Final Fantasy VII", "Compilation of Final Fantasy VII"firstgame="Final Fantasy VII"artist=Tetsuya Nomuravoiceactor=Rick Gomezjapanactor=Kenichi Suzumurainuniverse=Final Fantasy characterclass=SOLDIER 1st Classweapon=Broadsword (prior to Angeal Hewley's death Katana) home=Gongagablood type=Oage=23 (at death)height=185 cm/6 feetnihongo|Zack Fair|ザックス・フェア|Zakkusu Fea is a non-player character from the role-playing game "Final Fantasy VII" and the protagonist of two of its prequels, ' and the OVA'. Though he appears only in flashback sequences in the original game. Zack Fair was born in Gongaga and joined the Shinra electric company's armed miltia, "SOLDIER", at the age of 14. He is portrayed as almost identical to Cloud, the game's main playable character, in physical appearance with the exception of Zack's black hair. When strung together, the sequences explain a great deal about Cloud's past and his connection to Sephiroth, the game's antagonist. Before death, Zack was Cloud Strife's best friend and wielded the Buster Sword before him, though his mentor Angeal was its first user. Zack also had friendships with Sephiroth, Tseng, Angeal, and Cissnei and was the first love of Aerith, having met her after surviving a fall through the roof of the church in the slums of Midgar's Sector 5 - years before Cloud repeated this feat in Final Fantasy VII.

Zack is voiced by Rick Gomez in English and by Kenichi Suzumura in Japanese.

Creation and influence

Zack was created by character designer Tetsuya Nomura. In "Famitsu", Nomura stated that Zack's name was derived from 'fair weather' and contrasted with Cloud Strife. [cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/pages/unions/read_article.php?topic_id=25438993&union_id=6033|title=Crisis Core GameSpot Info|publisher=GameSpot|accessdate=2008-04-11]

Appearances

"Final Fantasy VII"

In "Final Fantasy VII", Zack plays only a very small role and is seen mostly in flashbacks, especially as Cloud realizes that the persona he has taken on at the beginning of the game is not his, but is actually Zack's. As the game progresses, Cloud is shown to suffer severe headaches that often lead him to losing consciousness when there are conflicting memories, ones that Zack experienced that Cloud had not, though Cloud generally overcomes these and proceeds with the task at hand. Zack is further mentioned should the player decide to go to Gongaga, Zack's hometown, where Cloud and the others meet his parents, oblivious to what became of their son and worried for his safety after not hearing from him for the past 4 years. An escape scene can be witnessed by meeting certain conditions which features Zack's death after being gunned down by Shinra troops in the barren rock scape a few miles from Midgar.

Related "Final Fantasy VII" appearances

Zack has a minor role in "" as a 1st class SOLDIER attempting to save two SOLDIER acquaintances who had been captured and experimented on. Unable to save them, Zack is forced to kill them. He also makes an appearance during the chapter covering the Nibelheim incident.

Zack has a small role in "Final Fantasy VII Advent Children", and most of his appearances are flashbacks from Cloud's point of view and correspond with "Crisis Core". When Cloud is in critical condition, he can be heard telling Cloud he has no place in the Lifestream.Zack (to Cloud): Sorry, friend. Looks like you don't have a place here." (Final Fantasy VII Advent Children)"] He and Aerith are last seen saying goodbye to Cloud. Throughout the movie, a large grey wolf appears in many of the same places as Cloud does, but at different times, only meeting him once at the end. It is speculated by many that this is a representation of Zack's spirit, following Cloud. Nomura, however, confirmed in the Ultimania that the wolf represented Cloud's guilt. Since said guilt was over the various failures of his past, however, it can be extrapolated that this included Zack's death.

Most of the OVA', though narrated by Tseng, follows Zack and Cloud's journey to Midgar with a few flashbacks of the Nibelheim incident. Between flashbacks, Cloud is completely silent and responds to nothing due to him suffering from mako poisoning, while Zack speaks to him throughout the escape. When they lose attacking Shinra MPs, dispatched to kill them, and Turks, who under Tseng's command would merely catch them, they hitch a ride on a truck. While Zack continues to talk, a gun scope, held by a Shinra MP, locks onto Cloud. Noticing, Zack attempts to save Cloud.Zack: Watch out!" (Last Order: Final Fantasy VII)"] and yells at him to run.Zack:"' Cloud, run!" (Last Order: Final Fantasy VII)"]

As the chief protagonist of "", the prequel to the original game, Zack's backstory is fully explained with footage not included in "Final Fantasy VII". Zack works as a subordinate under Angeal Hewley as a 2nd Class SOLDIER, until being promoted to SOLDIER 1st Class. He also falls in love with Aerith, befriends Cloud, Tseng, and Cissnei, and works with Sephiroth until discovering truths behind SOLDIER and Shinra. The game also portrays the Nibelheim incident in greater detail, retconning a flashback from Cloud Strife to rectify plot holes from "Final Fantasy VII". After being captured by Hojo and experimented on for four years, Zack escapes with Cloud and begins a journey to Midgar to find Aerith. On the way back to Midgar, Zack is intercepted by Shinra armed forces and, overwhelmed by the sheer size, is shot multiple times. While dying, Zack gives the enormous broadsword, the Buster Sword, to Cloud. As Cloud stumbles off dragging the heavy sword heading towards Midgar, Zack is pulled into the Lifestream by Angeal, wondering if he had become a hero.

Other appearances

Zack is a character in the PlayStation version of "Ehrgeiz", functioning more or less as a head swap of Cloud in the arcade, versus and minigame events.

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